Israel announces opening of ‘temporary’ aid routes to northern Gaza

Israel has announced on Friday that the famine-prone northern Gaza I will allow ‘temporary’ delivery of aid.

This announcement has been made by Israel at a time when the United States has warned of a change in its policy on the Gaza issue just a few hours ago.

According to the news agency AFP, in a phone call of 30 minutes on Thursday, the American president Joe Biden Israeli Prime Minister Bin Yamin Netanyahu US policy toward Israel hinges on protecting civilians and aid workers in Gaza. It was Washington’s first indication of a possible condition for military aid to Israel.

A few hours later, late at night, Israel announced that it would open more aid routes to Gaza.

A statement from Netanyahu’s office said Israel’s war cabinet had authorized the delivery of “temporary” aid through the Ashdod port and the Ariz Land Crossing. Along with this, shipments from neighboring Jordan to the Karim Shalom crossing were also increased.

The White House immediately welcomed the measures, calling them “at the request of the president” and saying they “must be fully and quickly implemented now.”

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Six months of aggression in Gaza Israel has been under increasing international pressure over the resulting damage and has been sharply reprimanded by its main backer, the United States.

According to the Ministry of Health in Hamas-controlled Gaza, since the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, more than 33,000 people have died in Gaza during Israel’s revenge campaign, and there is a threat of severe famine due to the lack of aid. have been

Aid agencies have repeatedly accused Israel of targeting aid convoys. This week, seven members of the World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli attack while distributing food in Gaza.

According to AFP, US President Joe Biden told Netanyahu: ‘The attacks on aid workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.’

Israel’s war cabinet authorizes ‘temporary’ aid delivery to Gaza via Ashdod port and Ariz land crossing (Reuters)

Biden also clarified that ‘US policy towards Gaza will be determined by US assessment of Israel’s immediate actions to improve the humanitarian situation.’

Biden, a longtime supporter of Israel, has faced growing public pressure over his policies and response to the situation in Gaza.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby acknowledged Biden’s “growing frustration” with Netanyahu, but also reiterated US support for Israel’s security.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has expressed his determination to destroy Hamas, while he has also pledged to evacuate more than 1 million citizens of Rafah, the southern city of Gaza.

Netanyahu is also under pressure at home from the families of Israeli prisoners still in Gaza and anti-government protests.

War cabinet member Benny Gantz, who is also Netanyahu’s main political rival, has called for snap elections in September, a demand rejected by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.

Palestinian children try to get food in Rafah refugee camp (Reuters)

Gaza’s bloodiest war to date began with a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which left 1,170 Israelis and foreigners dead.

Hamas also captured more than 250 people, 130 of whom are still in Gaza, 34 of whom the Israeli military says have been killed.

Israel’s relentless bombardment has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, the hospital system has collapsed, and 2.4 million Palestinians are facing severe shortages of food, water, fuel and other basic goods.

Hoping for a bag of flour

Gazans spent the night sleeping near the aid delivery site in the hope of receiving a bag of flour.

One man told AFP: ‘We sleep on the streets, in the cold, on the sand and struggle to get food for our families, especially our young children.’

“I don’t know what to do or how our lives have come to this,” he added.

The medical organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has accused Israel of systematically destroying Gaza’s health care system, describing scenes of carnage beyond the capacity of any hospital.

Amber Alyan, MSF’s deputy program manager for the Middle East, said: ‘No health care system in the world can cope with the volume of injuries and medical conditions that we see unfolding (in Gaza). have been.’